Ecology Support Member, Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge

Ecology Support Member, Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge

ACE EPIC placements provide young adults with focused, hands-on opportunities to work alongside and under the guidance of agency mentors as they apply their knowledge of resource management on their path to becoming the next generation of resource and land managers.

Funding for ACE positions is provided by a federal program designed specifically for the employment of youth and young adults.

For more information about ACE, please visit: www.usaconservation.org.

Summary: American Conservation Experience (ACE), a non-profit conservation corps, in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), is seeking 1 Ecology Support Member to support data collection, analysis, research, and summarization related to climate adaptation alongside Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge Staff.

Start Date: September 6, 2022

End Date: September 1, 2023

**52-week commitment required, approximately 2080 hours**

Location: Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge, Middle River, MN

Agassiz National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1937 and consists of 61,500 acres of wetland and upland habitats in northwestern Minnesota. The refuge lies in the aspen parkland transition zone between the boreal forest to the north and east and the tallgrass prairie to the south and west. Twenty-six wetland impoundments that range in size from 30 to 9,000 acres provide a variety of habitats for both nesting and migrating birds. Two natural lakes lie within 4,000 acres of black spruce-tamarack bog that has been designated as Wilderness by the National Wilderness Preservation System. In addition to being a breeding ground for numerous waterfowl and other bird species, the refuge is also noted for two resident packs of gray wolves, nesting bald eagles, occasional moose and colonial nesting birds - specifically Franklin’s gulls.

While Agassiz NWR is nestled in rural Minnesota, it is approximately 25 miles from Thief River Falls, Minnesota, 55 miles from Grand Forks, North Dakota, and 77 miles from Bemidji, Minnesota, all of which have necessary amenities, such as grocery stores, restaurants, shopping, etc.

For more information, please visit: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/agassiz/about-us

Work Schedule: Duties will primarily be carried out Monday-Friday. Bi-weekly totals should not exceed 80 hours. A flexible work schedule may be required, which could involve work performed outside of normal work hours including on weekends and/or holidays. Time off may be granted and requests should be directed to ACE and the FWS for approval.

Living Allowance: The ACE Member is expected to contribute approximately 40 hours/week and will receive a living allowance of $750/week to offset the costs of food and incidental expenses, dispersed bi-weekly.

Housing: The ACE member may be accommodated in provided agency housing for a small fee for the duration of the term. When residing in FWS provided-housing or on FWS lands, strict adherence to site specific policies and/or regulations is required.

Public Land Corps (PLC) Non-competitive Hiring Authority: Members serving on this project may be eligible to receive a Department of the Interior (DOI) PLC non-competitive hiring authority certificate upon completion of their term of service. Eligible members must meet standard requirements of completing at least 640 hours (16 weeks at 40 hours/week) and utilize their certificate when applying for qualifying federal positions within 2 years of receipt. PLC projects also include specific eligibility requirements such as age and citizenship. Please contact ACE staff with questions about eligibility.

Position Description:

This individual placement is meant to facilitate personal growth and professional development while promoting exposure to land management agencies and networking with agency professionals. This could include gaining experience in a variety of conservation fields and/or shadowing different work groups.

The member will primarily assist with data collection, analysis, research, and summarization related to climate adaptation. Members will also have the opportunity to participate in other activities on the refuge.

Primary Duties include:

Collect and process bathymetry data on priority impoundments and transform into applicable management resources (e.g., flood storage capacity tables, inundation maps; critical data for water movement, management, and infrastructure design);

Assess and report on effective water depths of aerial herbicide treatment of cattail (a key factor in management and infrastructure design);

Research and summarize information required for climate adaptation infrastructure assessment workshops,

Create geospatial layers of potential adaptation strategies including conceptual designs for infrastructure improvement, and summarize the pros, cons and unknowns for each strategy as it relates to current and future climate scenarios;

Estimate costs and logistics for various adaptation alternatives.

Physical Requirements: This position requires physical exertion such as walking long distances over wet and rough surfaces while carrying up to 40 lbs.; bending, crouching, stooping, lifting or reaching. Hand and finger dexterity and physical coordination may involve fine and precise procedures, delicate adjustments or exact measurements.

Environmental Conditions/Hazards: The member may encounter environmental conditions/hazards including extreme heat or cold, wet and windy weather, rocky terrain, muddy, swamp, or wetland conditions, biting insects, dense vegetation, poison ivy, pollen, and potentially dangerous wildlife. Hazards may also include mixing herbicides according to product labels, trailering a UTV or boat, loading and unloading the UTV or boat, and operating battery powered hand tools including saws, drills, etc. The member is expected to conduct duties in a safe and orderly manner so as not to endanger self, fellow staff/members or resources. The member will be working in vegetated areas with a high potential for tick and mosquito exposure. Refuge staff will provide safety briefings and personal protective equipment in order to minimize exposure to vector-borne diseases.

Vehicle and Equipment Use/Safety: If a vehicle is required for the accomplishment of the duties, one will be provided by the FWS or ACE. Defensive driving, UTV and boat safety training will be required per FWS Policy. Any tools required for the accomplishment of the duties will be provided by the FWS. Use of personal protective equipment (PPE), typically provided by the FWS, will be mandatory for any activity that requires it. Strict adherence to FWS and ACE equipment training, certification and safety protocols is required.